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Intro: how the C compiler works

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• The C compiler
  • How the C compiler translates multiple C program files

    The C compiler translates one C program file at a time All information gathered in the translation process of a C program file is discarded before the C compiler starts the translation of the next C program file

    Schematically:

    Note:

    The final step is to link (= "merge") the compiled code (= program in machine instructions) into one single executable program The final step does not perform any checks on data types !!!

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  • Recall how the Compiler translates each individual C program file:

    The C compiler is a one-pass compiler: The C compiler read the C program once While translating the C program file, the C compiler will make implicit function prototype assumptions for undefined/undeclared functions: When the C compiler encounter a function call that is not defined or declared, the C compiler will make an implicit function prototype assumption on the function (This is probably the main difficulty of understanding and programming in C for Java programmers....)